Brooklyn, NY - Just six months after the FDNY assigned a rookie firefighter whose father was convicted of a plan to kill Jewish civilians to a Borough Park firehouse, the department has done it again, this time sending a new Fire Academy graduate who once tweeted his hatred for Jews to a second firehouse serving the Orthodox Jewish community.

The New York Post (https://nyp.st/2HP7Ach) reported that Joseph Cassano was assigned to Engine 247 located on 60th Street between 13th and New Utrecht avenues after his April 18th graduation from the FDNY academy. The son of former FDNY commissioner Salvatore Cassano, Joseph Cassano made headlines in March 2013 when reports surfaced of multiple offensive posts he made on Twitter targeting Jews and blacks.

One tweet posted in November 2011 read, “I like jews about as much as hitler #toofar? NOPE.”

After resigning from the FDNY in the wake of the scandal, Joseph Cassano underwent sensitivity training arranged by his father, reported NY1 (http://bit.ly/2HOJz53). Rabbi Steven Burg, a former director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, met with Cassano on several occasions, taking him to the Museum of Tolerance and setting up a meeting with a Holocaust survivor. Rabbi Burg said at the time that he felt that Cassano regretted his comments.

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Because he resigned from his position with the FDNY instead of being fired, Cassano was able to reinstated by the department as an EMT, despite having publicly expressed his loathing for the job.

“I hate ems,” tweeted Cassano on one occasion.

“Everybody wants to be a firefighter, but don’t nobody wanna be a damn EMT,” read another Cassano tweet.

Membership in the FDNY’s Emergency Medical Services division comes with perks alleged critics who said that Cassano and two others who had connections to high ranking members of the department used their status as EMTs as a back door to becoming firefighters. Federal diversity rules enacted in 2011 gave EMS members priority over other applicants to the Fire Academy.

News that Cassano would be joining the FDNY as a firefighter broke in December, angering many, reported ABC News (https://7ny.tv/2HRNcr6).

“This is horrific,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. “He was snuck back in as an EMT and now he is being promoted to firefighter.”

The FDNY defended its decision, saying that Cassano had met all of the departments requirements and while Mayor Bill de Blasio categorized Cassano’s comments made several years earlier as “unacceptable,” he said that he believed that everyone should be given a shot at redemption.

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams bristled at the mayor’s remarks, noting that Cassano’s tweets about Jews crossed the line of propriety.

“That is for Klansman, not fireman,” said Adams.

“Assigning this man to Borough Park, where you have an incredible number of Holocaust survivors, is an insult to our community,” said NYS Assemblyman Dov Hikind. “I’m not sure he should be anywhere, but certainly not here with the people he said he hates.”

Hikind said if the issue is not addressed by the Mayor’s office, Holocaust survivors and others will join him in protest at the firehouse in Boro Park.

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Apr 22, 2018 at 01:18 PMAnonymous Says:

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Apr 22, 2018 at 01:49 PMBaruchD Says:

certainly not my place to defend racists, and would be happier without any doubts on the subject. But the first case is limited to someone's father's activities. Would you want to be judged that way? The second case, the guy claims and one "Rabbi" agrees he was rehabbed. Headlines are easy, but who these people are now requires research.

Apr 22, 2018 at 02:14 PMELEPHANT Says:

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Apr 22, 2018 at 02:19 PMtriumphinwhitehouse Says:

“
certainly not my place to defend racists, and would be happier without any doubts on the subject. But the first case is limited to someone's father's activities. Would you want to be judged that way? The second case, the guy claims and one "Rabbi" agrees he was rehabbed. Headlines are easy, but who these people are now requires research. ”

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Apr 22, 2018 at 02:53 PMSchmuel Says:

There have been problems in Borough Park, with the Sanitation men yelling vile remarks at Chassidim. Also, there are many cops who can't stand Jews. Look what occurred in Borough Park, during Chol Hamoed, Pesach, 2006, when the cops beat Jews at random, and pulled the hair out of their beards. It was a scene similar to Kristillnacht. There were no cops who were held culpable for that outrage. In fact, the idiotic Police Commissioner at the time, Ray Kelly, actually defended the actions of the cops. Every Jewish politician in NYC blasted the cops with the exception of Mayor Bloomberg. Yet, when Bloomberg was looking for votes in 2009, he had the chutzpah to come into Borough Park, where he was welcomed. He should have been boycotted!